Clutch Issues

[Gumby'sC20]

Ok guys, like you probably know, I just got my truck and it needs some basic care.

Heres another issue. The clutch. The reasons:

1) The clutch pedal needs to be pressed to the floor very hard to engage gears

2) When to the floor, you can still hear the clutch rubbing (a whining noise)

3) In 2nd gear at a stop with the clutch firmly to the floor the truck still inches forward

4) Moving through gears takes extreme amounts of force on the shift lever and *sometimes* is impossible to muscle into gears.

5) I *think*, when the truck is off, it's as easy as cake to move through gears with clutch pedal in


Not sure what the issue is...

[El Jay]

Sounds like an adjustment problem.

This is actually a lot easier than it reads:

1) Disconnect the clutch fork return spring @ the fork on the clutch housing.
2) Loosen the outer adjusting nut & back it out ~1/2 " from the swivel.
3) Hold the clutch fork pushrod against the fork to move the throwout bearing against the clutch fingers. The pushrod will slide through the swivel @ the end of the cross-shaft.
4) Rotate the lever until the clutch pedal contacts the bumper mounted on the parking brake support.
5) Adjust the inner adjusting nut to obtain ~1/4 cleaance between the nut & the swivel.
6) Release pushrod, connect the return spring & tighten the outer nut to lock the swivel against the inner nut.
7) Check for free travel @ the pedal and readjust as necessary. It should be 3/4"-1".

[68gmsee]

Have you replaced any parts lately? I've gotten some defective pressure plates that acted the same way.

Since you mentioned that when it's turned off it's easy to shift through the gears, then something is continuing to keep the clutch gear shaft moving. More than likely it's an adjustment. However, if after you check the linkage it's still not shifting right, it could be mechanical problems like worn or defective clutch disk, pressure plate, throw out bearing or pilot bushing. Maybe a combination of those.

[Gumby'sC20]

No parts have been replaced. Everything is As-Is when I purchased the truck a few weeks ago.

[El Jay]

Clutches wear, that's why they need to be readjusted from time to time.

[Gumby'sC20]

Truck shifts gear-to-gear easily as should with clutch pedal pressed and truck is off.

When the truck is on it's very hard to move gear-to-gear.

Not quite sure why...

we've been wrenchin in the cold for about an hour with no results yet

[68gmsee]

Originally Posted by 68gmsee

...Since you mentioned that when it's turned off it's easy to shift through the gears, then something is continuing to keep the clutch gear shaft moving. More than likely it's an adjustment. However, if after you check the linkage it's still not shifting right, it could be mechanical problems like worn or defective clutch disk, pressure plate, throw out bearing or pilot bushing. Maybe a combination of those.

I'm not suggesting you do the following and if you do it you have to be absolutely sure you take safety precautions.

I was having trouble with not one, but two defective pressure plates, I removed the flywheel dust cover, raised both the rear wheels and placed the axle on heavy duty stands. I also chocked the truck so it wouldn't move and observed from underneath as a buddy depressed the clutch pedal and cranked the engine. I was able to observe that the pressure plate fingers were being depressed to the max but they were not releasing the clutch completely.

The third pressure plate I got from a different source and it worked fine after that.

[ChevLoRay]

Nobody mentioned it, but I am also going to mention the throw-out (clutch release) bearing.

My first car had been the recipient of a new clutch disc and pressure plate. Not long after I got it, I noticed that putting it in reverse caused a howling noise as I let the clutch out. When putting it in first, there was a bit of a clash. Shifting out of first or into second/third, wasn't a problem.

One day, while "up in the hills" to go deer hunting, it got worse. A man that we (as a pair of high school seniors) regarded as mechanically smart, suggested that the clutch pedal wasn't pushing the arm back as far as it should go. Made sense to us....what did we know? So, scrounging around a box of hardware, had us finding a brass bushing used to go from a 1-inch black pipe to a 1/2-inch flared fitting. It fit where we needed it to go. It worked good for about 3 or 4 actuations. Then, BANG! The clutch arm broke free from the fulcrum inside the bell housing. Any use of the clutch pedal was now impossible. Had to start it in gear, and shift w/o a clutch. At least I was able to get it home and get a guy to work on it. Cost me $20 for a new throw-out bearing and the labor to re-install the fulcrum and put it all back together. But it was running and driveable. That lasted for another month....until it got totaled out.

I guess I said all that to say this: Don't replace the clutch/pressure plate w/o also installing a new throwout bearing. And, don't sell the situation short by not suspecting that the throwout bearing may be bad.

[Gumby'sC20]

I'll attempt all I can tomorrow in the frigid temps at my buddy's garage with guys who know how these things work. (Remember I just switched from a Honda). We basically are looking at the rod that connects to the fork connecting to the clutch actuator (on the trans itself) and the on the opposite side the two nuts that make the adjustment for the pedal itself. correct me if I'm wrong..

( If that doesn't yield the results I'm looking for considering just saving up some cash and swapping in an NV3500 from an s10 4.3. It should hold up to mild burnouts and powerslides? But this is just a sidenote. )